Third Time's the Charm
by shanejayell
Summary: Wakaba, blind dates... what could go wrong?


Disclaimer: I own none of the characters from this fanfic, they all belong to their respective creators. Also this is a continuation of a chapter of Arisugawa's Locket, though you do not have to read that story to understand this one.

Third time's the charm

Wakaba paused outside the club, taking a deep breath to try and calm her nerves. She puffed it out as she looked up at the neon sign of Arisugawa's Locket, her brown hair bouncing as she shook her head. If anything signified how long it had been since they attended Ohtori academy, it was this place. With a smile she nodded to the bouncer and headed inside.

Seeing Juri standing by the bar with her back to her Wakaba felt a devilish impulse come over her. Running forward she leapt even as she called out to the orange haired woman, "Juri-sama!"

Juri staggered, nearly falling but recovered as she gave her new addition a smile. "Wakaba," she helped the girl slide down to the ground as she asked her, "how are you doing tonight?"

"Pretty good," Wakaba smiled, pushing her curly hair back. The dress she wore was simple but cute, white with some red trim added on.

They walked up towards the bar together as Juri curiously asked the smaller woman, "And how's the dating thing going?"

Wakaba signaled Ryouko for two drinks as she felt herself blush faintly. She confessed, "I have a blind date, actually, something Keiko and May helped set up for me." There was a long silence from Juri and she gave her a curious look. "Not a good idea, huh?" Wakaba asked.

"You could get lucky," Juri offered hopefully.

"Isn't getting lucky the idea?" Wakaba chuckled and Juri rolled her eyes. Wakaba noticed a figure sitting at the corner table and gulped, knowing that she matched the description that May gave, "I think that's her!"

"I wouldn't advise going home with her on the first date," Juri said dryly, something in her tone urging more than caution.

"You know her?" Wakaba asked curiously.

"By reputation, at least," Juri answered

"Well, wish me luck," Wakaba gulped and headed over to the corner table.

The blue haired woman looked up at her with a welcoming smile, "Good evening." She took a drink, "Are you Wakaba?"

"Yes," Wakaba nearly bowed, but controlled herself. "Are you Nagisa?" she asked as she sat.

"Yes," Nagisa nodded, giving her a long, measuring gaze. With another almost predatory smile she purred, "It's very nice to meet you."

Wakaba gulped, unused to seeing such intensity in another's eyes. The conversation was a bit limp, the usual problems with two people who had just met, but they managed pretty well. "So what do you do?" Wakaba asked as she sipped her drink.

"I'm a professional dominatrix," Nagisa explained to her calmly.

"Urk." Wakaba looked at her in mild disbelief.

"Don't worry," Nagisa smiled at her impishly, "I never bring my work home with me." She took a drink, "Well, not usually."

"What do you, well, usually do?" Wakaba asked with a kind of dreadful fascination. She wasn't too sure she wanted to know, but with her thoughts racing she felt she should find out.

"It actually isn't as bad as many people think," Nagisa looked amused as she looked at Wakaba warmly, "a bit of spanking and ordering around and the boys are pretty happy."

"Sounds like some places I've worked in," Wakaba admitted dubiously, getting a quiet laugh from her companion.

After Nagisa had left Keiko went over to where Wakaba was sitting and sat down, the woman with the long brown braid cheerfully asking her old classmate, "How did it go?"

"Don't ask," Wakaba sighed.

"Not going on a second date with her?" Keiko asked sympathetically.

"She was already suggesting a date involving.. certain things from her day job," Wakaba moaned weakly. "On a first date!"

"I'm sorry," Keiko patted Wakaba on the shoulder. She brightened, "I know! There's another lady I know you'd like."

"Oh no," Wakaba started, "not again."

The next evening Wakaba puffed out a resigned sigh as she headed to the corner table, wondering if this blind date was going to be as bad as yesterday. She should have been firm but Keiko had managed to talk her into it despite her best intentions. She approached the table, seeing the woman with purple hair sitting with her back to her, then came around to see her face.

"You!" both Shiori and Wakaba blurted as they saw each other.

Nearly a hour and many drinks later Shiori waved a hand drunkenly, "An' then I found out she h'd my picture in her locket! What's up wi' that?"

Wakaba hiccuped as she sipped her Shirley Temple. "Tha's nothing," she waved, "just tryin' to keep up with Utena w's exhausting!" She sniffled softly, "All those girl's liked her but she never noticed me..."

"I hear ya," Shiori patted her on the back clumsily.

"W's up with that creepy Ruka?" Wakaba looked at her blearily.

"He just wanted me 'cause he couldn't ha' Juri," Shiori grumbled. She looked into her glass and confessed quietly, "Guess that's w'y I had him, too..."

Wakaba squeezed her shoulder soundlessly in comfort, then she burped softly. "'Scuse me," she blushed.

"Y'know," Shiori looked at her drunkenly, "you are kind of cute."

"Really?" Wakaba asked, feeling the bar sway around her.

"Yeah, I..." Shiori started then her face went a alarming shade of green. She gave a choked off 'Pardon me' and bolted for the bathroom.

"Story of my life," Wakaba sighed as she let her head hit the table with a soft thump, unconsciousness sweeping in like a blessing.

"No I'm not doing it again," Wakaba said later that week as May gently tugged her forward. The tall maid smiled at her, her full breasts oddly distracting to the other girl.

"But you have so much in common," May smiled, "it'll be fine, trust me."

"That's what you said about the last two dates," Wakaba pointed out.

"Third try's the charm," May gave her a warm look, "please?"

Wakaba groaned and gave up, letting May lead her to her fate.

For a moment Wakaba actually thought a man had snuck into the locket, the black haired woman in the suit was that boyish. Black hair fell into beautiful eyes, her slim body dressed in a tailored suit that fit her like a glove.

"Hi," Wakaba smiled as May discretely left, feeling her traitorous heart skip a beat.

Like a gentleman the young woman bounced to her feet, holding out a chair, "Nice to meet you." She gently pushed it in as Wakaba sat, "You're Wakaba, right?"

'I didn't even introduce myself,' the mildly shaken Wakaba realized as she answered the charming woman, "Yes, I am."

As she sat she smiled, "Haruhi, it's nice to meet you." They ordered drinks then Haruhi asked pleasantly, "What do you do for a living?"

"Secretary," Wakaba admitted, "and you?"

"I work in a host club," Haruhi smiled slightly as she sipped her drink, "where most of the customers think I'm a guy."

"It mustn't be easy," Wakaba said, smiling at the other woman's unconscious charm.

"I can't really be open with them, no," Haruhi agreed. She flashed a smile, "I think Keiko or May overheard me bemoaning my fate, since they've been setting me up on blind dates."

Wakaba stifled a laugh, "Me too!"

"They're real meddlers, huh?" Haruhi chuckled and soon they were exchanging bad date stories, laughing at their own misadventures. The conversation flowed like the wine they drank, and only Ryouko's last call for booze early in the morning interrupted them.

"I've really enjoyed tonight," Wakaba admitted quietly.

"Me too," Haruhi smiled. She hesitated, looking away shyly, "I was wondering... would you like to do this again?"

"I'd love to," Wakaba smiled.

End

Notes: This is based off a episode of Arisugawa's Locket where Wakaba is set up on a blind date, and my wondering how it could go wrong. The drunken Shiori/Wakaba scene is an idea I had from another fic, but it works pretty well here, too. The characters featured are: Arisugawa Juri, Keiko, Shiori and Wakaba are all from Utena, Ryouko is from Tenchi Muyo, May is from Hand Maid May, Nagisa is from Here is Greenwood and finally Haruhi is from Ouran High School Host Club.


End file.
